The commission said UN member countries need time to think about the proposal, so the issue would be added to the agenda of its next meeting, which will be held next year.

“The WHO made the proposal less than three months before the commission convened its latest meeting anyway, which is too short for a thorough review,” Niyom Termsrisuk, secretary-general of Thailand’s Office of Narcotics Control Board, said yesterday.

He added that the commission realises that UN members need time to consult relevant agencies in their countries before making a decision.

“So the WHO proposal will be considered at the commission’s next meeting in March next year,” Niyom said.

According to the WHO, cannabis and cannabis-related substances should be removed from the Single Convention on Narcotics Drug. If this proposal were to be approved, cannabis and related substances would no longer be controlled.

In a related development, Thailand recently legalised medical marijuana after research suggested that cannabis extracts could be useful for various types of patients.

As a result, amnesty is also being offered to those who possess and use cannabis if they come forward and make a disclosure.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 562 cannabis possessors have already come forward for amnesty. Of them, 174 use marijuana for health conditions.

“Moreover, at least 7,411 people have called us for more information on medical marijuana,” FDA secretary-general Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong said yesterday.